The first thing we noticed when we arrived at the Camp was a brand new barrier arm system. Robin went to the office to book in (and pay for) our Christmas holiday and he had to choose his own 4 didget number to access the barrier arm. We have no problem with this, and think the barrier arm is a good idea. It will keep the camp safer for the paying customers, and visitors will need to register at the office, ensuring that management know just who is in camp.
Being summer, the pohutakawa trees are a riot of crimson blossoms, the stamens tipped with yellow. The pohutukawa tree (Metrosideros excelsa) with its crimson flower has become an established part of the New Zealand Christmas tradition. This iconic Kiwi Christmas tree, which often features on greeting cards and in poems and songs, has become an important symbol for New Zealanders at home and abroad. Also in camp is one of the rarer yellow flowered pohutakawa trees – not often seen. The yellow-flowered cultivar "Aurea" descends from a pair discovered in 1940 on Mōtiti Island in the Bay of Plenty.
The motor camp has many crimson pohutakawa trees and one of the yellow flowing variety
The camp was very quiet when we first arrived on Christmas Eve, but is slowly filling up now. Tents are springing up everywhere, and the Dog Bay has campers with all breeds of dogs. Two large Newfoundlands keep a quiet eye on the comings and goings as people walk past on their way through the camp, and Holly, the fluffy white Bichon at the end of our row keeps a wary eye out on these two huge black monsters. All the dogs are tethered at their camp sites and usually they are very quiet and well behaved. Muffy, our beautiful Birman cat, is spending her Christmas in camp with us and is quite interested in all the comings and goings of camp life. She is not too keen on dogs or noisy children, and likes to walk around outside to see what there is to see, safe with her harness and light lead. Then she is quite happy to lie down under our deck chairs and have a nice little snooze. Or even better, come back inside and sleep on our bed. Cats certainly have the best of lives, don’t they!
Happy campers
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